{"ID":2921840,"CreatedAt":"2026-06-02T02:42:49.606572591Z","UpdatedAt":"2026-06-03T19:17:13.289046021Z","DeletedAt":null,"paper_url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.01411","arxiv_id":"2606.01411","title":"Power consumption and spectral efficiency analysis for uplink analog radio-over-fiber","abstract":"Radio-over-fiber centralizes radio access networks by using a low-loss optical fiber link between the remote radio head and the central unit. Analog radio-over-fiber (A-RoF) transmits RF signals modulated directly onto an optical carrier, avoiding digitization and digital signal processing at the remote radio head. In this way, A-RoF shifts power-hungry processing from the antenna to the baseband unit. This paper outlines a mathematical framework to analyze the effect of fiber nonlinearity in an uplink wireless system supported by A-RoF. We model an input/output relationship that incorporates the wireless channel, thermal noise, and impairments encountered in the optical fiber channel: chromatic dispersion, electrical-to-optical conversion loss, amplification noise, and fiber nonlinear interference. We compare A-RoF with DSP-assisted A-RoF and digital radio receivers. Our results show that A-RoF achieves higher energy efficiency as compared to digital receivers with 8- and 16-bit analog-to-digital converters and DSP-assisted A-RoF. We further characterize the trade-offs among transmit power, nonlinear interference, and spectral efficiency, demonstrating that nonlinear effects fundamentally limit achievable rates. These results identify the linear operating regions where A-RoF is most effective for uplink wireless communication.","short_abstract":"Radio-over-fiber centralizes radio access networks by using a low-loss optical fiber link between the remote radio head and the central unit. Analog radio-over-fiber (A-RoF) transmits RF signals modulated directly onto an optical carrier, avoiding digitization and digital signal processing at the remote radio head. In...","url_abs":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.01411","url_pdf":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2606.01411v1","authors":"[\"Shehla Amir\",\"Miguel Rodrigo Castellanos\",\"Robert W. Heath\"]","published":"2026-05-31T19:17:02Z","proceeding":"eess.SP","tasks":"[\"eess.SP\"]","methods":"[]","has_code":false}